


The Alternate Wars

by TheMSKProject



Series: Marvel MSK Shorts [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Character Death, Death, Emotional Hurt, F/M, Grief/Mourning, I Made Myself Cry, Infinity War (Marvel Comics), Loss, Unresolved Emotional Tension, Unresolved Romantic Tension, Whump, and it shows, because i write pain, dusting is a slower death, four alternate timelines, partially written as a depressive vent, the snap, what if, what if the snap happened in the Marvel MSK
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-12 11:48:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,602
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29260002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheMSKProject/pseuds/TheMSKProject
Summary: Before Stephen and Maddie turned back the clock to save the timeline. There was an original plan to let the snap happen. Of the many possibilities... These were the ones that drove the decision to go further back in time to avoid putting the lives of their closest friends and allies to int eh hands of the cosmic dice.This fic is full of angst and character death. Please be aware.
Relationships: Loki (Marvel)/Original Female Character(s), Loki (Marvel)/Sarah Ridgeback (Marvel MSK), Stephen Strange/Madeline Grimmwell (Marvel MSK), Stephen Strange/Original Female Character(s), Thor (Marvel)/Catherine Sweadner (Marvel MSK), Thor (Marvel)/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Marvel MSK Shorts [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2148687





	1. First Alternate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First Alternate Timeline
> 
> Deaths:  
> Stephen, Cate, Tony,

“Stephen! We almost had it why did-”

“He was going to kill you, I- I couldn’t- I couldn’t lose you again.”

{I love you}

Her chest tightens, eyes wide as he _finally_ said it back, she wraps her arms around him. 

“I- I love you too.”

She whimpers, his hands coming up to her shoulders before following her spine, head in the crook of her neck as he memorizes her warmth. How long had they both just longed for this? To keep each other close. Her face nuzzles his cheek as a few of her tears are left on his skin. His grip then tightened around her, making her gaze snap downwards.

“No.”

She murmurs, grasping him tighter.

“Not- no I WON’T LET YOU!!”

The sound is close to a heartbroken howl, her heart thuds in her chest, refusing the fact that in a few moments, his is going to stop for good. 

“I don’t have a lot of time.”

Her frantic thoughts at once go silent. His form pulls back to meet her gaze. Blues reminding her of the sea, and how she’d rather drown than lose him. His fingers cup her cheek as she leans into his touch, touch she won’t ever feel again. As he pulls her close she holds back a sob.

“I don’t want to close my eyes.”

A weight settles on her shoulders as Cloak gives her a squeeze of reassurance. Its collar flaring to block them from view as she accepts his lips with hers. Her eyes want to close but she refuses. Memorizing the curve of his brow as her hands follow the streak of silver in his hair, before returning to the two bangs she always insisted stay in his face. As he traces her jaw her lids drop as she pushes herself closer to him. Only to pull back a moment later. His scars make familiar contact as he strokes the side of her face. Her voice breaks.

“D-don’t”

“Shh.. I’m sorry.”

And he’s gone.

~*~*~*~

He’d almost had it. Just a few inches higher and this would’ve been over. He takes a step back as people begin to fall around him. It’s when Cate trips that his heart leaps into his throat. He twists himself to catch her, straining something in his side but he doesn’t care.

“Cate? You alright?”

She glances down and her foot not only gave out, it’s gone.

“Um, yeah. Just fine.”

She’s lying and he knows, his breathing immediately goes frantic. 

“No. Nonononononononono. Not you. Please not you.”

His eyes begin to wall with water, her lips curve up in a smile. A smile he loved so dearly.

“Please.”

He’s a blubbering mess as he lifts her from the ground and pulls her to his chest. 

“Hey, I won’t steal your cape anymore.”

She muses weakly, she doesn’t want to go either, but she doesn’t have much choice. He runs a hand through her hair and he knows she hates it. His heart twisting as he can’t do any of the things he wants to do. He wants to tell her he loves her, he wants to kiss her for the first and last time, he wants…. he wants nothing more than to be in her place. But the snap doesn’t care about the right of substitution. 

“I’d rather you rob me blind than have you leave.”

He chuckles dryly.

“Then lean down here and I’ll take your cyborg eye.”

A smile breaks across his face and he lets out a wheezing laugh. His lungs start to refuse to breathe.

“Cate I-”

“Thor- wait you first.”

“No go ahead.”

A flicker of hope sparks in him, but he knows it’s foolish.

“When you get back to New York, check my room. You’ll find your hammer.”

“But Hela- I saw-”

“A fake. I’d replaced it weeks ago, waiting to see how long it’d take you to notice.”

“Cate!~”

It was such a her thing to do. 

“And here,”

She removes the band around her brow.

“Take my helmet as payment for all the times I stole yours, despite it being the dumbest helmet I’ve ever seen. Wings? really?”

“I thought they looked cool.”

He takes the band from her fingers and it takes the touch to remind him that this isn’t their usual banter. Cate is dying. The woman he loves is dying. And he can’t stop it this time.

“Cate can you close your eyes. Please.”

She was about to joke back when his tone broke. Reluctantly she closed them. He lifts her closer and puts his forehead to hers, he’s so close but he can’t just steal a kiss from her. He grips her crown to the point the metal creaks in protest. He felt stabbed. 

“I love you.”

He whispers. Breathing stuttering as his shoulders shook. Her chin tilts up as she pecks his lips for the briefest of contacts. His eyes wide as he pulls her to his chest even more.

“Don’t kill me faster. It’s the least I can do since I’m leaving you.”

His heart refused. 

“Don’t go.”

His grasp on her body grew desperate, as he prayed if he held her tight enough she would stay. But it didn’t work. She disappeared, and the eternal flame was freed, scorching him as he hesitates to move. Only doing so because the alternative is burning alive. But the heat is so familiar. He remembers it as she’d pushed his chest with her flames. And the memory opens the floodgates as he covers his face and wails, her crown pressed to his chest as its the only thing left. Fire eternal, but she was not.

~*~*~*~

Maddie shakes with sobs as Cloak desperately tries to console her. It hadn’t left with Stephen and she pulls it around her face, taking in his scent in deep breaths, but it does nothing to help her pain. This cloak should be filled with his broad shoulders, not with her quivering form. A wailing that is not her own has her turning.

“Peter!”

Tony is dropped to his knees as he looks down at the dust as the wind is already beginning to take what’s left of his son away. She gets to her feet to comfort him, letting her own pain take a back burner until Stark looks at his hand, and it too begins to fade. 

“Tony!”

She shouts. 

“Not you too!”

His head turns and his water filled eyes are consumed with self-loathing.

“I deserve to die. This is my fault. I should’ve died a long time ago when I went to fix the missle.”

“Tony don’t talk like that! You-you can’t leave me alone up here.”

Balthazar and Cloak wrap around her tightly. As Tony puts his face in his hands

“I’m sorry Maddie.”

“D-dammit Tony.”

But he’s already gone. Maddie’s lips tremble. Still feeling the ghost of Stephen’s touch as she drops to the dirt, completely alone. Her howls heard by no one, as the wind wipes away any traces of anyone who could’ve cared. 

~*~*~*~

Thor stumbles onto the battlefield, face red and his eyes swollen. He spots familiar green leathers and runs towards them. Loki holding Sarah to his chest as soldiers are continuing to drop like flies around them. At his brother’s appearance, Loki feels his stomach twist.

“Where’s Cate?”

Sarah snaps her gaze to the Thunder god as she hears the question. A part of her already knows the answer when she sees the golden band clasped in his fingers

“No…”

Her eyes are already filled with tears and she buries herself in Loki’s armor, hoping to suffocate.

“No!”

Her wails make Loki’s heart stop, meeting Thor’s gaze as the slow nod chills him down to the bone. His eyes only widen as Thor cleaves himself to his brother’s side. Loki doesn’t know what to do, but he knows they need him, so as his own tears begin to trail down his cheeks, he dips his head and pulls them all to the ground. Thor’s body trembling and Sarah going motionless. It made Loki sick to his stomach. But he holds it down, and shares the pain. It’s all he can do.

_End_


	2. Second Alternate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Deaths:  
> Maddie, Sarah

“I don’t want to go. Sir please I don’t want to go”

Tony felt his heart breaking as Parker dug fingers into his back, clinging to him desperately as his feet lose balance.

“I don’t want to go I don’t want to go.”

The boy whimpers as his back hits the ground, then falls silent. Eyes glancing to the side before looking up at Tony.

“I’m sorry.”

And then he was gone. This was his fault, he should’ve made Peter go home. He shouldn’t have let him… there was no going back now. All he can feel is self hatred as he looks around at the dust of the guardians before the only other people left alive draw his attention.

“No! Come on. Stay with me. Stay awake you’re going to be fine.”

Doctor jargon, must be… no… 

Stephen is crouched on the ground, Maddie in his arms as she’s beginning to fade

“Guess your heroics didn’t stop me from screwing up.”

She rasps, hand going to the sorcerer’s face as he leans into her touch, his eyes closing while his brows crease in distress. 

“You said you’d stay until I wanted you to leave.”

“A stupid promise, I know.. I just  _ hoped _ that I could keep it”

{I love you}

Tony knew that code, but it seemed to miss Stephen once more. Tony doesn’t know how, with the way she was looking up at the doctor anyone could see it.

“S-stephen?”

Strange opens his eyes, a longing in his gaze that made Tony pause. 

“What is it?”

A gentle hand begins to tremble as it traces Maddie’s cheek. He guesses her magic was gone now. 

“Can I… get a kiss goodbye?”

It looked as though Stephen had been shot.

“You’re not going anywhere. I-”

She throws her energy to wrap her arms around his neck and kiss him, Stephen floundering a moment before he reciprocates softly. As he pulls away tears are forming on his face. 

“I- you can’t go now.”

{I love you.}

Tony felt stabbed as he heard the code under Stephen’s words. He shouldn’t be watching this. Maddie’s final moments. 

“Take care of Teto and my relics. They need someone now.”

“Maddie don’t!”

“Sorry I couldn’t hold the rope any longer.”

And she’s gone as horror begins to carve into Stephen’s features. Her relics left behind in the dust as Balthazar shuffles, trying to find it’s master. With shaking fingers, Strange lifts them in a bundle to his chest. Clutching them with all his strength, and Tony can see he doesn’t have much left.

“Strange.”

Tony chokes out. 

“Go away.”

Despite the warning growl to leave the wizard alone. Tony steps closer and puts his arms around him. They were the only ones left up here. They needed to take care of each other. So as Tony continued to blame himself, he held onto Strange, as an illusion of comfort, as Stephen barely moves or makes a sound.

“You got your turn as Ariadne. And you did a terrible job.”

{Come back… Please…}

~*~*~*~

Loki stood in confusion as the fight instantly stopped. People started to fall to the ground in a cloud of dust. He’d done it. He used the stones. A thud behind him has him whipping around.

“Sarah!?”

“Oh…”

He felt a flare of anger in his chest.

“Why do you always-!”

He stops himself. If she only has a few moments he wasn’t going to waste them bickering over pointless matters.

“You’re fine.”

He lies, and his gut rolls. 

“You’re a terrible liar.”

“I’m the god of lies.”

“Well you suck at it.”

“Sarah- You can’t go anywhere! You promised!”

“Didn’t you say it was stupid of me?”

His face begins to break its facade.

“It was, but bigger the fool am I for believing it!”

His hands delicately lift her into his lap.

“You have to stay.”

“I want to.”

“You-Your King demands it!”

“Loki.”

The sound of his name on her lips shatters him, tears falling as he dips down to kiss her. Her hands weakly circling his neck to run through his hair as she wants to memorize it one final time. 

“I won’t let you go anywhere!”

He whimpers in the short breaks he took to breathe.

“You’re staying”

“Right here.”

“With me.”

He goes to take her lips again only for her hand to catch his cheek. 

“Easy.”

She whispers.

“Easy? How do you expect me to be calm in a time like this. I’M LOSING YOU! And I missed two years of what we could’ve had because I was so caught up in being a king that I neglected what really mattered!”

His brows furrow with guilt and anguish.

“I command you to stay!”

He was acting like a spoiled child, and he knew it. He hated himself for it. He hated that he had to sit there and watch her slowly leave him.

“I love you my King. and I’m sorry I failed you.”

“You haven’t failed me! You won’t- you’re going to be Queen and rule at my side. I won’t ever be alone again remember?”

Her fingers wipe his tears away.

“I am… so proud, of the king you’ve become. They need you Loki.”

“But it’s pointless without-”

Before he has time to finish she’s gone. His breathing stutters as those words sink in.

She’s gone. 

“You…”

_ End _


	3. Third Alternate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Deaths:  
> Sarah, Loki, Tony

Sarah had her back pressed to Loki’s, fighting at his side as they protect one another from on coming blades. When the enemy suddenly backed off she looks around bewildered. Slightly favoring her injured side as she lets her guard down a little. People begin to disappear and her eyes widen. 

“He did it.”

Loki mutters…

“We lost.”

The words leave her lips and she still can’t believe it. Instinctively she turns to face him, and he seems to have the same thought as she meets his emerald eyes and loses her breath a moment. After a silent agreement she nuzzled into him and he wraps his arms around her. If this was going to be their end they were going to be together, and that was that. It’s when Loki tumbles that she feels sick.

“Loki!”

Her eyes widen as she too loses her balance and they fall to the ground. At least she’s going with him.

“I’m sorry I-”

He stutters.

“Me too, it’s alright.”

At her words Loki’s face drops.

“You’re-?”

“I said I’d always be by your side. I intend to keep that promise.”

Her hand clasps with his and she enjoys the contact of his smooth skin. His fingers warm in comparison to her own.

“You’re really with me to the end huh? I have to say I’m impressed. I thought I’d beat you by a millenium at least.”

“You’re an ass.”

She jokes.

“Well you seem to enjoy it.”

“Stop.”

“That’s no to a kiss then?”

“Idiot.”

Even as the word leaves her lips she leans forward and meets his with affection. Leaving the god breathless when she pulls back. And they both leave with the next gust of wind, just as hollers and footsteps approach them. Once in the soul stone Sarah looks up at Loki, tracing his features before clocking him in the jaw.

“That’s for taking that fucking cube!”

Loki doesn’t mind at all, rubbing the sore spot as he looks at his love. His gaze couldn’t be warmer, neither could his smirk be any wider as he sees Sarah melt under his gaze.

~*~*~*~

Maddie is holding Stephen close as she counts the thuds of each person falling to the ground. Each one has her wincing and holding Strange tighter to herself.

“Maddie.”

A familiar voice calls to her and she pulls away from the sorcerer. Tony on the ground nearby as she hastens to move, hazel eyes unbelieving as she kneels beside him.

“I think the universe finally caught up with me.”

She brings a hand to his brow, getting loose strands out of his face.

“Shh. It’s alright. I’m right here.”

Tony chuckles wryly, but the dark tone in his voice dispels any humor.

“I really screwed this up didn’t I? If you’re going with a magician now.”

Her chest twists.

“Tony… I’m sorry.”

She cups his chin delicately.

“Maybe I was just too old for ya.”

“Stop.”

A self-hating sigh leaves his lips as his gaze flicks to Strange before going back up to Maddie’s worried hazel orbs. Eyes he’d seen so many times after a failed experiment would have him on his ass or in the hospital. He was glad they could remain close, but he always hated what had become of what they had before.

“I’m sorry for pushing you away.”

He rasps. 

“It’s fine. I forgave you a long time ago. That water has evaporated under the bridge now.”

“All of it?”

Her breathing caught. He was asking if she still loved him. Of course she did, they just, weren’t meant to be together. 

“No. Not all.”

“Then. Can I ask a favor?”

She knew what he was implying, so instead of giving him an answer she just leaned down and kissed him softly. Pulling away with as much ease as she’d used to initiate the contact. There was still a spark there, and they both felt it. Guilt begins to gnaw at her insides.

“It’s okay.”

Tony soothes, hand reaching her face to hold it one last time. His gaze flicks back to Stephen.

“Take care of her. No tricks, or so help me I’ll find you from the afterlife and whoop your ass. Since I’d be back, I’ll take her back while I’m at it!”

“That’s enough.”

She scolds, but the affection in her tone is clear to him.

“See ya around?”

“Y-yeah.”

As she spoke, tears made tracks down her cheeks.

“Take the baton and keep outrunning death for me.”

{I still love you}

“Of course.”

He raises his hand and she takes it with a firm grip. He gives it a strong shake.

“It’s a deal!”

“Deal!”

{me too}

Tony’s face falls a moment to one of mourning, and then he’s gone. Maddie’s hand remains still in the air, palm still warm with his touch as a pressure settles on her shoulder. Her head lifts to meet Stephen’s gaze and he lifts her into his arms to pull her to his chest. Letting her sob over the loss of one of her closest friends. It was over, he’s still here. And he has a promise to keep.

_ End _


	4. Fourth Alternate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Deaths:  
> Loki, Thor, Stephen

“Loki! Loki I’m right here! It’s okay, It’s okay I’m not going to leave you.”

Sarah’s hands are frantic, moving from his shoulders to his chest, moving to tell him that she’s right here with him. Loki’s lips curve in a weak smile.

“It’s alright.”

He mutters.

“No it’s not! I promised to stay with you! Don’t go where I can’t follow!”

Loki feels his legs start to lose their integrity, so he speaks quickly. His hands moving to cup her face as he enjoys the softness of her skin one last time.

“I told you that was a silly promise.”

He laughs dryly, there is no humor behind it, just bitter self loathing that he’s leaving her here alone. 

“Now isn’t the time to pull the ‘I’m evil’ act, dummy!”

Sarah’s chest tightens, every beat of her heart plagued with pain as it knows that it’ll soon be beating alone. Tears roll down her cheeks as she can’t force herself to close her eyes, even as he presses a gentle kiss to her lips. When he pulls back his eyes are shining, with love and tears, and she lets herself get lost in them for a moment. 

“Sarah, I won’t be here much longer.”

“What do you mean, you look fine-!”

She notices a green haze over his body, her eyes flicking to the right to see the same haze around his fingers.

“You did not! You are such an ass.”

The words lose their strength as she goes, her lungs refusing to take in air.

“I love you, so much~”

He gives her cheek one last stroke, planting a final soft kiss to her lips with his. She chokes back a sob as she sees that those too have a green haze.

“I love you too, my prince.”

He lets his head back down, brings his hands away and then the magic shatters into green shards, leaving dust behind. Sarah’s heart stops, pain spreading over her chest as she grips at it desperately, air caught in her throat with a strangled cry. Her head falls forward, tears like rain making indents in what remains of her heart’s sole companion that she would never see again.

~*~*~*~

Cate looks around her as people fall to the ground and get whisked away by the wind, eyes wide in disbelief as she refuses to accept what is happening. Thor was so close. Her gaze goes back to her partner as he stood up, taking a step back. The next step Cate had to catch him as his foot gave from under him.

“Thor! Thor are you alright?!”

Her body is not nearly strong enough to hold the massive weight of the asgardian, shuffling to the side as she does her best to slow his descent to the ground. His back still making a thud on the dirt.

“I just lost my balance.”

He assures. Only to have his eyes widen as he looks down. Cate takes notice and follows his gaze. 

“No you’re not!”

She yells.

“It was a fifty fifty shot, could of been either of us really, possibly both.”

“Thor stop! You’re fine! You’re not going anywhere!”

Thor winces a bit as her voice raises a few octaves. 

“Hey, you won’t be overshadowed by me anymore, neither will Loki.”

Cate began to tremble, her chest tightening. She likes him, she cares about him, he CAN’T JUST LEAVE!

“You didn’t overshadow me… No one can snuff a light such as I!”

Thor chuckles darkly.

“I suppose.”

That came out more assholishly than she wanted it to.

“I- I didn’t mean it like-”

Her heart was beginning to beat frantically, her gaze jumping between the trees before she looked back down at Thor. She realizes he’s really going to die, the gut wrenching twist she felt in nidavellir returns with a vengeance. She couldn’t be-. Well if she was she needed to say it now.

“Thor!”

He hadn’t removed his gaze from her the entire time, his own chest tightening as he recognizes he’s going to leave before ever manning up enough to say something. When he sees her frantic blue eyes, something twists. She grabs his arm.

“Thor you can’t go! I won’t let you!”

Her fingers are trembling. Of all the times to not be able to speak why did it have to be now?

“Thor I-”

The word catches in her throat. Afraid to let it out because she knows it’ll mount to nothing. 

“I-”

Her eyes wall with water and she bites her lip hard. Angry at herself for not just spitting it out. Thor’s expression softens as he understands, hand weakly lifting to her cheek as he finally felt the permission to do so.

“Cate… it’s okay.”

And then he went, turning to dust as Cate finally choked out the words

“I love you!”

But he was already gone. Her eyes squeeze shut as a tear rolls down her cheek, chilling the skin that was still warmed with his touch. 

“You got dust in my eyes you asshole~...”

No response.

~*~*~*~

Maddie rushes to Stephen’s side.

“Why would you-?”

“I couldn’t let him hurt you.”

Her heart twists, praying he wouldn’t be the one to go. She couldn’t. Not again, that is one of the few things she doesn’t want to have in common with her mother. 

“But now he-”

“I know. I’m sorry.”

Before Maddie can stop herself she cups his face in her hands. 

“It’s alright, just don’t go anywhere.”

Stephen winces as he knows he can’t risk that promise. Not now. But he doesn’t get the chance to speak anyway when she grabs him in a vice grip.

“Please don’t go anywhere.”

Her chest quivers against his as her breathing becomes shaky. And he can feel bile rise in his throat when he starts to feel himself going.

“Maddie.”

She buries her face in his neck, and his heart twists. She was there for him all this time and now he’s going to die. He can’t stay quiet, he needs to make sure she can prepare herself.

“Maddie it’s me.”

She pulls back with a soft chuckle.

“Of course it’s you, what do you-”

As soon as she met his gaze she knew. Her eyes go wide, instantly walling with water. She shakes her head softly, disbelieving.

“No.”

She whimpers, something in his chest breaking with her voice.

“No!”

Her head shakes a little faster, her hands gripping at his shoulders with all the strength she has as she only gets more frantic.

“NO! You’re lying to me! All doctors lie! You have to be lying!”

Tears stream down her face as her heart is screaming. She shakes her head violently.

“No!”

“Maddie.”

With a word she freezes, falling forward into his chest with a whimper, words no longer blocking her sobs as she nuzzles into him as much as she can. His scent unable to calm her as she knows it won’t be there much longer. Cloak moves from Stephen’s shoulders to hers, squeezing tightly as her body trembles.

“I don’t have a lot of time.”

He whispers, keeping his voice soft to hide his own wavering tone. 

“St-stephen?”

His hand lifts her face, splotched red with her eyes still full of water. 

“I’m sorry.”

Her bottom jaw quivers in his grip. And she knows he’s going to be gone soon. Neither of them have time to say what they need to. 

“I-”

Maddie whimpers, but she’s cut off as he leans forward and kisses her softly. How efficient of him, to put all the words they needed to tell each other into one action. It was such a Stephen thing for him to do that it only made the tears fall faster, arms around his neck as she wasn’t going to break the contact for anything. But when Stephen felt his final seconds begin to tick down he pulls away. 

“I love you.”

He whispers.

“I love you too. So stay you idiot!”

He can only chuckle grimmly. 

“I wish I could.”

She lets out a shaky whine as she watched him fade. Her chest tightening as her heart stops and she refuses to breathe. Even as her lungs burn for air, she doesn’t let herself breathe. Hoping she can hold off her instincts and just die right after him. She doesn’t want to be alone. But she can’t fight her nature forever and eventually her subconscious yanks away the reins as she gasps in a breath, coughing as her body fought to stay alive. The exact opposite that she wanted. She feels arms wrap around her and for a moment her heart skips, despite her head telling her it couldn’t be him. A choked sob sounds behind her and she knows who it is. She turns around and her arms throw themselves around Tony, one of her closest friends. And together they sat in the dirt, and cried.

_ End _


End file.
